Integrated sewing machine controls

ABSTRACT

A control arrangement for sewing machine is disclosed including information carriers dictating repetitive operational patterns for the sewing machine stitch-forming instrumentalities which may be rendered selectively effective, and means rendered effective simultaneously with the selection of each information carrier for shifting the control mechanisms of the sewing machine into discrete positions so coordinated with the selected pattern as to ready the sewing machine for stitching a predetermined form of each pattern of stitches.

United States Patent [191 Dam-an INTEGRATED SEWING MACHINE CONTROLS [75] Inventor: Louis F. Martinsville, NJ.

[73] Assignee: The Singer Company, New York,

[22] Filed: Nov. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 310,303

[52] US. Cl 112/158D [51] Int. Cl D05b 3/00 [58] Field of Search 112/158 R, 158 A, 158 D,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,854,935 10/1958 Bennink et a1 112/158 D 2,971,482 2/1961 Koike 112/158 A 3,013,512 12/1961 Yamashita... 112/158 A 3,062,164 11/1962 Shimada v 112/158 A 3,081,724 3/1963 Bono 112/158 A 3,177,835 4/1965 Tanaka et al. 112/158 A Apr. 30, 1974 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Pffaf-Automatic, 230-260, 1 0-1958.

Instruction Book,

Primary Examiner-Wemer I-I. Schroeder Attorney, Agent, or FirmMarshall J. Breen; Chester A. Williams, Jr.; Robert E. Smith 57 ABSTRACT A control arrangement for sewing machine is disclosed including information carriers dictating repetitive operational patterns for the sewing machine stitch-forming instrumentalities which may be rendered selectively effective, and means rendered effective simultaneously with the selection of each information carrier for shifting the control mechanisms of the sewing machine into discrete positions so coordinated with the selected pattern as to ready the sewing machine for stitching a predetermined form of each pattern of stitches.

12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 5 WEWasom saw Mr 2 Fig. 3

1 INTEGRATED SEWING MACHINE CONTROLS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Known information carriers for dictating repetitive stitch patterns for sewing machines produce stitching which can be varied radically in appearance depending upon the settings of a number of the sewing machine controls. Where the information carrier includes a representation of the appearance of the resulting stitch group, considerable confusion can arise because simply selecting that particular information carrier will seldom result in the production of the depicted stitch pattern. Usually the operator is required to adjust several of the sewing machine controls, such as stitch length, bight and field of zigzag stitching, etc. as a separate and subsequent adjustment in order to maintain the depicted stitch pattern. For this reason, later exact duplication of a particular stitch pattern has been difficult in prior art sewing machines.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a sewing machine which includes selectable patterning means each associated with setting devices for the sewing machine controls which become effective simultaneously with selection of the patterning means to provide for sewing of preselected forms of the different stitch patterns which are available. The object of the invention is attained by the provision of selectable programming units which include, in addition to pattern information carriers, associated control cam means arranged to shift the sewing machine control mechanisms into preselected positions of adjustment.

In a preferred embodiment of this invention the programming unit takes the form of a cassette insertable into the sewing machine with one or more pattern cams journalled for rotation in the cassette. Either included as a rotatable cam in the cassette, or formed as stationary cam surfaces on the cassette body, are control cam means effective when the cassette is inserted into the sewing machine for setting the various sewing machine controls into discrete positions of adjustment. With this arrangement a representation of the resulting stitch configuration may be placed on the cassette, and simply by inserting the cassette into the sewing machine, a stitch pattern matching that shown in the representation will be produced by the sewing machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa sewing machine with a programming unit of this invention illustrated in readiness for insertion into the sewing machine,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom perspective view of a programming unit of this invention,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the control linkages and associated cam followers of the sewing machine together with the pattern cam drive for a pogramming unit of this invention but with the programming unit removed,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the parts illustrated in FIG. 3, and includes in phantom lines a representation of the programming unit inserted in operative position,

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the parts illustrated in FIG. 4, and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 66 of FIG. 4.

In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a sewing machine indicated generally at 11 and including a work supporting bed 12 from which rises a standard 13 supporting a bracket arm 14 which overhangs the bed and is surmounted by a top cover 15. The bracket arm terminates at the free extremity in a sewing head 16 in which is mounted portions of the stitch-forming instrumentalities of the sewing machine including a needle 20 which cooperates in the formation of stitches with a loop taker (not shown) in the bed. The needle is carried by a needle bar 21 endwise reciprocable in a needle gate 22 which is pivoted on trunnions 23 in the sewing head for lateral jogging movements which give rise to zigzag stitch formation. A link 24 pivotally connected to the needle bar gate serves to impart lateral jogging movement thereto.

Work fabrics are supported against the thrust of needle penetration by a throat plate 27 on the bed and the work is held on the throat plate by a presser foot 28 carried by a presser bar 29 slidable in the sewing head 16. Arranged beneath the throat plate and operating through slots therein is a feed dog 30 carried by a feed bar 31. By means of a pivoted link 32 the feed bar is connected to a feed lift rock arm 33 extending from a feed lift rock shaft 34 journaled in the bed. The other end of the feed bar is pivotally connected to a rock arm 35 carried by a feed advance rock shaft 36 journaled in the bed. The rock arm 37 on the feed advance rock shaft beneath the standard is pivotally connected to an oscillating pitman 38 which carries a guide pin 39 constrained within a guide slot 40 formed in a feed regulating block 41 which is pivoted to the machine frame. A link 42 connected to the feed regulating block 41 is used to transmit shifting movement to the feed regulating block to control the direction and magnitude of stitch length.

As thus far described, the needle jogging mechanism and the work feeding mechanism constitute conventional stitch forming instrumentalities in sewing machines which may be influenced by pattern mechanism for the production of recurring patterns of stitches. These machanisms may also be controlled in their entirety by settable regulators as in most usually the case with the work feeding mechanism. The patterning mechanism may also include settable regulators for influencing one or more parameters of a programmed pattern of stitches as is most usually the case with the needle jogging mechanism.

With reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, needle jogging movements are derived from an oscillating block pivoted to swing about a pin 5l which is carried in one arm 52 of a carrier lever 53 pivoted on a fulcrum pin 54 carried in the machine frame. A radial slot 55 in the block 50 embraces a slide pin 56 carried by an arm 57 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 58 in one arm 59 of a bell crank lever pivoted on a fulcrum pin 60 in the machine frame and having a second arm 61 to which the link 24 from the needle bar gate is pivoted. The other arm 62 of the carrier lever 53 carries a pin 63 which tracks a cam surface 64 formed in one arm 65 of a regulating bell crank lever having a second arm 66 terminating in a follower finger 67' for influencing the feed or neutral position of needle vibration in zigzag stitching. It is this control which influences the position left, right, or center to which the zigzag stitches of diminishing bight will gravitate.

The arm 57 is connected by a link 68 to a one arm 69 of a bell crank lever 70 fulcrummed on a pin 71 in the sewing machine frame. The other arm 72 of the bell crank lever 70 is formed with a cam follower finger 73. Swinging of the lever arm 57 in response to movements of the bell crank lever 70 will shift the slid pin 56 along the radial slot 55 in the block 50 thereby changing the width or bight of the zigzag stitches.

For oscillating the block 50 a bell crank lever 80 fulcrummed on the pin 71 is provided. The bell crank lever 80 is formed with one arm 81 terminating in a driving tang 82 engaging the slide block 50 and another arm 83 terminating in a cam follower finger 84.

A bell crank lever 90 for influencing the work feed motion is also fulcrummed on the pin 71 and is formed with one arm 91 terminating in a tang 92 abutting a swinging frame 93 pivoted on a fulcrum pin 94 in the sewing machine frame. The ohter arm 95 of the lever 90 is formed with a cam follower finger 96. Pivotally connected by a pin 99 to the swinging frame 93 is a link 100 which may be operatively connected to the link 42 which influences the feed regulating block to determine the stitch length and direction of work feed.

it is conventional in present day sewing machines for the needle jogging motion and for feed regulation to be varied under influence of a pattern cam means to pro duce predetermined recurring stitch patterns. In the above described mechanisms the follower finger 84 for influencing needle jogging and the follower finger 96 for feed regulation are those which would conventionally be adapted to respond to a pattern cam means. It is also known in sewing machine technology to provide for setting means by which to regulate the bight and needle position of zigzag stitching as is provided by the follower fingers 73 and 67, respectively, of the mechanism described hereinabove. These roles for the follower fingers may, however, be changed, as for instance, the feed follower finger 96 may be set in a fixed position of adjustment when sewing patterns of stitches in which only the needle jogging is varied by a pattern means.

By way of example in the following description, however, the follower fingers 84 and 96 will respond to pattern cam information and the follower fingers 67 and 73 will be set by regulating cam means which remain stationary during sewing machine operation.

Referring to FIG. 1, the sewing machine top cover is formed with a front aperture 109 opening onto a cavity 110 shaped to admit insertion of a cassette 111 which takes the form of a flat box with sidewalls 112, 113, 114, and 115, a top wall 116 and a bottom wall 117. Journaled within the cassette are a pair of pattern cams 118 and 119 fast on a common hub 120 formed with a splined axial bore 121. The pattern cams 118 and 119 are accessible to the follower fingers 84 and 96, respectively, through an access opening 122 in the sidewall 115 of the cassette.

Also formed in the sidewall 115 of the cassette is a control cam surface 123 which cooperates with follower finger 73, while a control cam notch 124 is formed in the cassette sidewall 112 for cooperation with the follower finger 67.

When the cassette is in place in the sewing machine cavity 110 the pattern cams 118 and 119 will engage the follower fingers 84 and 96, respectively, to impart pattern information thereto, and the control cam surfaces 123 and 124 will engage the followers 73 and 67, respectively. The cassette may carry, for instance on the sidewall 113, a representation of a pattern of stitches that the user may expect to sew when the cassette is utilized. The pattern carns 118 and 119 and the control cam surfaces 123 and 124 are preferably so interrelated one to the other that the parameters necessary for the production of the depicted stitch pattern in the representation 130 will be provided without requiring any further adjustments to the control instrumentalities of the sewing machine.

For removing and inserting of cassettes, a retractable drive is provided for the pattern cams 118 and 119. To this end a worm wheel is provided journaled vertically in the machine frame and meshing with a worm 141 on a drive shaft 142 in the bracket arm. The worm wheel is formed with an axial bore 143 which is splined and slidably accommodates a spline 144 formed on the lower end of a drive stud 145. A smaller spline 146 is formed at the upper end of the drive stud and between the splines a flange 147 is formed. The flange is loosely embraced by a bifurcate holder 148 secured by a set screw 149 to a push rod 150 which is slidable vertically in the machine frame and urged upwardly by a coil spring 151. A pushbutton 152 affixed to the top of the push rod protrudes through the top cover 15.

The pushbuttom 152 is formed with a latch notch 154 in one side cooperable with a latch finger 155 carried by a two-armed lever 156 journaled on a pivot stud 157 in the machine frame. A coil spring 158 biases the latch finger 155 into the notch 154 to retain the pushbutton depressed and with it the splined drive stud 145. In this latch depressed position, the small spline 146 will be held beneath the level of the pattern cam bushing 120 of a cassette 111 inserted into the sewing machine cavity 110.

A finger 159 formed on the upper arm 160 of the two-armed lever 156 is disposed in the path of the eassette sidewall 115 such that the pushbutton 152 and with it the drive stud 145 will be released when the cassette reaches fully inserted position in the sewing machine cavity 110. The coil spring 151 will then cause the small spline 146 to be shifted into engagement with the splined axial bore 121 in the pattern cam hub.

To facilitate insertion of the cassette into the cavity 110 of the sewing machine frame without interference by the various followers, a follower throw-out mechanism is provided. As shown in FIG. 3, a two-armed throw-out actuating lever is pivoted on a pin 171 carried in the machine frame. One arm 172 of the lever 170 extends upwardly into the path of cassette movement into the cavity 110 and will be engaged by the cassette and held depressed thereby during insertion of the cassette. The second arm 173 of the lever 170 carries a lateral pin 174 adapted to overly and depress an elongate lever 175 which is also fulcrummed on the pin 171. A depending link 176 pivoted as at 177 to the elongated lever 175 is slotted as at 178 and embraces one arm 179 of a bell crank 180 fulcrummed on a pin 181 in the machine frame. The other arm 182 of the bell crank 180 is pivotally connected to a connecting link 183 which embraces a-spherically headed pin 184 projecting from the swinging frame 93 of the feed regulating linkage. The bell crank lever arm 182 also includes a finger 185 extending into engagement with an arm 186 projecting from the block 50 of the needle jogout lever arm 172 when the cassette reaches fully inserted position in the sewing machine to release the follower throw-out mechanism and reestablish effectiveness of the pattern cam followers. When the cassette is removed, the throw-out actuatinglever 170 is free to turn in the reverse direction without restraint by the throw-out mechanism.

It will be understood that a wide variety of instrumentalities other than those discussed in the above described preferred embodiment may be influenced by the pattern cams and control cams of a programming unit in accordance with this invention. It is also pointed out that the principles of this invention may be applied as well to a wide variety of forms of selectable programming units other than the cassette discussed in the preferred embodiment described herein.

Having set forth the nature of this invention, what is claimed herein is:

1. In a sewing machine having a plurality of controllable devices operating in concert to produce stitches, means for regulating the pattern of stitches produced by operation of the sewing machine comprising selectable programming units, each programming unit including a pattern cam adapted to be driven during operation of said sewing machine, and a control cam individual to the pattern cam of said unit adapted to shift only incident to the selection of programming units and to remain stationary during operation of said sewing machine, control linkages operatively associated one with each of said controllable devices and each including a cam follower element arranged to track one of said cams of a selected programming unit.

2. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said selectable programming units each includes a cassette, said pattern cam adapted to be driven during operation of said sewing machine comprising a cam disk journaled in said cassette, and said control cam adapted to remain stationary during operation of said sewing machine comprising stationary cam surfaces formed on said cassette.

3. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 2 in which a separable drive is provided between said sewing machine and said pattern cam, and in which an operator influenced control member is provided accessible exteriorly of said sewing machine for selectively separating said drive.

4. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 3 in which said programming units are selectable by insertion of a selected cassette into a cavity formed in said sewing machine, in which said separable drive comprises a splined drive shaft shiftable axially into and out of said cassette accommodating cavity for establishing said drive between said sewing machine and said pattern cam in said cassette.

5. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 4 including means for retracting said follower elements of said sewing machine during insertion of a cassette into said cassette accommodatingcavity in said sewing machine.

6. In a sewing machine having stitchforming instrumentalities, and regulators for influencing said stitchforming instrumentalities, a plurality of stitch patterning means, operator influenced pattern selecting mechanism effective to render a selected one of said stitch patterning means effective, and setting devices for said sewing machine regulators operated by said pattern selecting mechanism for establishing a predetermined individual setting of said regulators corresponding to each one of said stitch patterning means.

7. In a sewing machine having stitch-forming instrumentalities, and regulators for influencing and stitchforming instrumentalities, a plurality of stitch patterning means, operator influenced pattern selecting mechanism effective to render a selected one of said stitch patterning means effective, means associated with said pattern selecting mechanism for displaying a representation of the appearance of said selected stitch pattern, and setting devices for said sewing machine regulators operated by said pattern selecting mechanism for establishing that setting of said regulators corresponding to each of said stitch patterning means which will result in the formation of a pattern of stitches having the appearance displayed by said representation upon operation of said sewing machine.

8. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 7 in which said pattern selecting mechanism comprises a cassette having a body portion, in which said stitch patterning means comprises a pattern cam journaled in said cassette body, in which said representation of the apearance of each selected stitch pattern comprises indicia displayed exteriorly on said cassette body.

9. An exchangeable stitch programming unit for a sewing machine of the type including a plurality of individual settable stitch influencing regulators, said stitch programming unit including a body portion formed with guide means facilitating insertion thereof into a predetermined position in a sewing machine, first control means carried on said programming unit and effective to establish a recurring pattern of control setting for at least one of the sewing machine stitch influencing regulators when said programming unit occupies said predetermined position in a sewing machine, and second control means carried on said programming unit effective to establish a flxed control setting for at least one of the sewing machine stitch influencing regulators when said programming unit occupies said predetermined position in said sewing machine.

10. An exchangeable stitch programming unit as set forth in claim 9 in which said body portion includes a hollow cassette, in which said first control means effective to establish a recurring pattern of control settings comprises a cam disk journaled in said hollow cassette and accessible through an access opening therein and in which said second control means comprises cam surfaces formed on said cassette.

11. An exchangeable stitch programming unit as set forth in claim 9 in which a representation of the appearance of the selected stitch pattern influenced by each stitch programming unit is carried exteriorly on said body portion of said stitch programming unit.

12. In a sewing machine having a plurality of controllable devices operating in concert to produce stitches, means for regulating the pattern of stitches produced by operation of the sewing machine comprising selectable programming units, each programming unit including a pattern cam adapted to be driven during ming unit, and means for selecting programming units in said sewing machine simultaneously to orient the pattern and control cams of said selected programming unit into position to be tracked by said cam follower elements. 

1. In a sewing machine having a plurality of controllable devices operating in concert to produce stitches, means for regulating the pattern of stitches produced by operation of the sewing machine comprising selectable programming units, each programming unit including a pattern cam adapted to be driven during operation of said sewing machine, and a control cam individual to the pattern cam of said unit adapted to shift only incident to the selection of programming units and to remain stationary during operation of said sewing machine, control linkages operatively associated one with each of said controllable devices and each including a cam follower element arranged to track one of said cams of a selected programming unit.
 2. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 1 in which said selectable programming units each includes a cassette, said pattern cam adapted to be driven during operation of said sewing machine comprising a cam disk journaled in said cassette, and said control cam adapted to remain stationary during operation of said sewing machine comprising stationary cam surfaces formed on said cassette.
 3. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 2 in which a separable drive is provided between said sewing machine and said pattern cam, and in which an operator influenced control member is provided accessible exteriorly of said sewing machine for selectively separating said drive.
 4. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 3 in which said programming units are selectable by insertion of a selected cassette into a cavity formed in said sewing machine, in which said separable drive comprises a splined drive shaft shiftable axially into and out of said cassette accommodating cavity for establishing said drive between said sewing machine and said pattern cam in said cassette.
 5. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 4 including means for retracting said follower elements of said sewing machine during insertion of a cassette into said cassette accommodating cavity in said sewing machine.
 6. In a sewing machine having stitch-forming instrumentalities, and regulators for influencing said stitch-forming instrumentalities, a plurality of stitch patterning means, operator influenced pattern selecting mechanism effective to render a selected one of said stitch patterning means effective, and setting devices for said sewing machine regulators operated by said pattern selecting mechanism for establishing a predetermined individual setting of said regulators corresponding to each one of said stitch patterning means.
 7. In a sewing machine having stitch-forming instrumentalities, and regulators for influencing and stitch-forming instrumentalities, a plurality of stitch patterning means, operator influenced pattern selecting mechanism effective to render a selected one of said stitch patterning means effective, means associated with said pattern selecting mechanism for displaying a representation of the appearance of said selected stitch pattern, and setting devices for said sewing machine regulators operated by said pattern selecting mechanism for establishing that setting of said regulators corresponding to each of said stitch patterning means which will result in the formation of a pattern of stitches having the appearance displayed by said representation upon operation of said sewing machine.
 8. In a sewing machine as set forth in claim 7 in which said pattern selecting mechanism comprises a cassette having a body portion, in which said stitch patterning means comprises a pattern cam journaled in said cassette body, in which said representation of the apearance of each selected stitch pattern comprises indicia displayed exteriorly on said cassette body.
 9. An exchangeable stitch programming unit for a sewing machine of the type including a plurality of individual settable stitch influencing regulators, said stitch programming unit including a body portion formed with guide means facilitating insertion thereof into a predeterminEd position in a sewing machine, first control means carried on said programming unit and effective to establish a recurring pattern of control setting for at least one of the sewing machine stitch influencing regulators when said programming unit occupies said predetermined position in a sewing machine, and second control means carried on said programming unit effective to establish a fixed control setting for at least one of the sewing machine stitch influencing regulators when said programming unit occupies said predetermined position in said sewing machine.
 10. An exchangeable stitch programming unit as set forth in claim 9 in which said body portion includes a hollow cassette, in which said first control means effective to establish a recurring pattern of control settings comprises a cam disk journaled in said hollow cassette and accessible through an access opening therein and in which said second control means comprises cam surfaces formed on said cassette.
 11. An exchangeable stitch programming unit as set forth in claim 9 in which a representation of the appearance of the selected stitch pattern influenced by each stitch programming unit is carried exteriorly on said body portion of said stitch programming unit.
 12. In a sewing machine having a plurality of controllable devices operating in concert to produce stitches, means for regulating the pattern of stitches produced by operation of the sewing machine comprising selectable programming units, each programming unit including a pattern cam adapted to be driven during operation of said sewing machine, and an associated control cam adapted to remain stationary during operation of said sewing machine, control linkages operatively associated one with each of said controllable devices and each including a cam follower element arranged to track one of said cams of a selected programming unit, and means for selecting programming units in said sewing machine simultaneously to orient the pattern and control cams of said selected programming unit into position to be tracked by said cam follower elements. 